
EXCLUSIVE TEST: Hollyland Solidcom M1 Intercom System posted: 25/11/2021
by Sven Kubeile
For any live production that requires a larger crew communication is key. Usually a reliable intercom system will take care of that. Especially with larger productions, these systems are often complex. But there are also solutions for smaller teams, such as from. We were able to test Hollyland's latest top-of-the-range system Solidcom M1 in a real production environment.
Solidcom M1 is a digital intercom system for small to medium-sized applications and basically an intercom system in which, depending on the version, up to four or eight people can talk to each other independently. It is not a system in which the beltpacks can be used to create a complex wired intercom solution. The beltpacks do not contact each other directly, the connection is established via a base station. The individual units can also be configured and assigned to groups via the integrated display and the control options. The base has to be powered with a dedicated power supply unit via an Ethernet port. Multiple systems can be cascaded with one another or connected to a third-party system using additional connections. Compatible manufacturers are Clear-Com, Hanson, Altair and Datavideo. A directional antenna is integrated in the base to ensure a secure radio connection, a feature which is particularly useful for stage applications. When placed on a tripod a range of 400 meters can be achieved. For applications in which users of the beltpack have to be mobile, the use of the supplied rod antennas ist recommended. They enable an omnidirectional range of 300 meters.
Beltpacks
The beltpacks are very well made and look neither too small nor too big. There is a battery compartment on the side. For charging the devices can either be placed in the supplied charging cradle or batteries can be removed individually and charged separately, allowing the batteries to be exchanged quickly during production. On the bottom of the bealtpacks there are LEMO sockets to plug in the headsets that come with the beltpack. The talk switch can be found easily on the top of the device. A few settings can be made via a display and three buttons, but these do not go into much depth so that the user is prevented to change anything essential. The volume can be adjusted as required using two buttons on the side
Headsets
The supplied headsets are open on one side and allow good speech intelligibility as well in noisy environments. A tally is attached to the foldable microphone, shows that a sound signal is being transmitted. The headband is comfortable and the quality of the connectors will most likely allow for a long service.
On set
We used the Solidcom M1 system in a production enviromment to find out the systems capabilities and its potential limits. It was used as the main intercom for two small Live-TV productions taking place in large churches. The architecture of those caused the only problem that we came across. Due to the massive outer walls the signal range was sometimes in the range of only 10 metres which made it difficult to connect to the system's base station in the outside broadcast vehicle. This would normally have called for either using a second base station or careful readjusting of the existing base station - which was the route we went down.
Everything being set up well you can enjoy very good voice quality, which simplifies production both on air and during assembly and dismantling. A clean reception and transmission quality was possible at all times, even when speaking in a low voice like you have to during a production in a church. We especially liked the integrated audio processing that prevents noise from all open beltpacks from adding up and thereby reducing speech intelligibility. External providers who were included in the intercom were also enthusiastic about the intelligibility of speech and how comfortably the headsets could be worn.
The dismantling of the system was as quick and easy as the setup before. Thanks to the perfectly provided cutouts in the case, everything could be packed quickly and securely. The trolley has integrated rollers and can be easily transported over long distances.
Conclusion
If you decide to buy a Hollyland Solidcom M1, you get a very capable, well-functioning and simple intercom system. Being in a price range of under 8,000 euros for eight transmitter / receiver units, the system can't be compared with significantly more scalable systems such as a Riedel's Bolero. For small to medium-sized and less complex productions, small live streams and TV broadcasts, theaters, film productions and event companies, the Solidcom M1 offers almost everything you can possibly need. In addition, it can be set up and operated by almost anyone without any particular system training.
What we liked:
High quality and robust construction
Very good voice quality
High quality case tailored to the system
Comfortable headsets
Robust connectors on beltpacks and headsets
Long battery life
Everything you need in one case
No training necessary
What we didnt like:
Low range through walls - in that case the use of two bases is advisable
No push-to-talk , just continuous on or off
Europe Stories
16/12/2025
Hawkins has landed on Spotify, just in time for Stranger Things Season 5, Volume...
16/12/2025
Wherever you are, your favorite music and audio content should go seamlessly with you. That's why Spotify has partnered with NAVER Corp, Korea's leading...
16/12/2025
2025 Wrapped arrived bigger and bolder than ever. This year's experience is designed to be ultra personal and shareable, with new features like Wrapped Part...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON Announces Release Date for Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2025 R...
16/12/2025
16 Dec 2025
VEON's Kyivstar Invests in Renewable Energy in Ukraine with Acq...
16/12/2025
Harmonic's XOS Advanced Media Processor Improves Streaming Video Quality and Boosts Viewer Engagement SAN JOSE, Calif. - Dec. 16, 2025 - Harmonic (NASDAQ: ...
16/12/2025
RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December.
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier t...
16/12/2025
Singer -songwriter Brian Kennedy has been announced as the final celebrity dance...
15/12/2025
Cape Town, November 13, 2025 - SES and International artist and humanitarian, Fo...
15/12/2025
Luxembourg, December 15, 2025 - SES, a leading space solutions company, and Abra Group launched fast and reliable multi-orbit inflight connectivity service on t...
15/12/2025
15 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Delivers First Starlink Direct to Cel...
15/12/2025
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor finds himself the topic of year's cracker jokes
Oasis, David Harbour, Celebrity Traitors and Angela Rayner all feature in this y...
15/12/2025
Comscore Expands Cross-Platform Campaign Measurement to Include Audio and Social New capabilities strengthen cross-platform campaign reporting suite; CCR rebran...
15/12/2025
RT .ie has reached one billion page views this year and is on track to finish 2025 2% ahead of last year. Average time spent on the site is up 3% on 2024, with ...
12/12/2025
Last month, Spotify announced a new collaboration with the ATP Tour, the global governing body of men's professional tennis, aimed at bringing the next gene...
12/12/2025
Friday 12 December 2025
Ted is back! Seth MacFarlane's live-action comedic ...
12/12/2025
Uachtar n na h ireann, Catherine Connolly visited RT Raidi na Gaeltachta's...
12/12/2025
Ireland AM host Eric Roberts has been revealed as the sixth contestant taking to...
11/12/2025
Thomson and the Center for News, Technology and Innovation (CNTI) convened a two-day workshop in Sarajevo bringing together more than 35 journalists, editors, p...
11/12/2025
Having the right song soundtrack your moves can make all the difference when gam...
11/12/2025
It's been a big year for Taylor Swift. Her highly anticipated album The Life...
11/12/2025
11 Dec 2025
VEON's Banglalink Receives Regulatory Approval to Launch Digita...
11/12/2025
Thursday 11 December 2025
Sky Arts paints a picture of Britain's beauty as ...
11/12/2025
It's not every day we're asked to create a website for a classical musician!
So, we were delighted to help pianist Georgina Duncan as she embarks on he...
11/12/2025
It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!
Irish golfing hero Shane Lowry...
11/12/2025
RT Sport Awards 2025 live on RT One and RT Player at 8:05pm on Saturday 20 December
On Saturday 20 December live on RT One and RT Player at the earlier ti...
11/12/2025
Sash is ready to samba as Fair City star Stephanie Kelly is revealed as the late...
11/12/2025
Dalet, a leading provider of cloud-native, end-to-end media workflow solutions, ...
10/12/2025
For the first time, Spotify is giving users the power to steer the algorithm. Gustav S derstr m, Spotify's Co-President, CPO, and CTO, shares the vision beh...
10/12/2025
10 Dec 2025
VEON's Rising Capital Markets Profile Strengthened by Inclusion...
10/12/2025
10 Dec 2025
VEON Recognized for JazzCash, Kyivstar and Jazz at the World Commun...
10/12/2025
Wednesday 10 December 2025
Sky extends partnership with the Ladies European Tour for a landmark 30th year
Sky and the Ladies European Tour (LET) have announce...
10/12/2025
Wednesday 10 December 2025
Walk-on if you love the darts: James Maddison, Luke ...
10/12/2025
Rohde & Schwarz presents world's first RF power sensor with 0.80 mm RF conne...
10/12/2025
It's out of the frying pan and into the sequins for comedian and actor Micha...
10/12/2025
Born That Way airs Thursday 18 December on RT One and RT Player
Born That ...
09/12/2025
For decades, music videos have done more than just accompany a song; they've shaped style, started conversations, and helped us fall in love with our favori...
09/12/2025
Tuesday 9 December 2025
Judy Murray calls for PE to be a priority for all schoo...
09/12/2025
Kyocera and Rohde & Schwarz demonstrate OTA characterization of mmWave PAAM at C...
09/12/2025
Wuppertal December 9, 2025
Riedel and Racing Electronics Announce Strategic Pa...
09/12/2025
Another year, another 12 months of amazing adventures.
We are pleased to bring you our Highlights of the Year 2025.
We've worked hard and played hard this...
09/12/2025
DPA Microphones today announces the immediate availability of its new N-Series Digital Wireless Microphone System for customers throughout the U.S. In addition ...
09/12/2025
Jason, before we get into the detail, what first got you involved in retail media standards? And how did you come to chair IAB Europe's Retail and Commerce ...
09/12/2025
Current Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins has been revealed as the third contestant...
08/12/2025
Comscore Releases 2025 AI Intelligence Report: Establishing New Benchmarks for G...
08/12/2025
Over 1.7 million people watched across the weekend
Another record-breaking year...
08/12/2025
08 Dec 2025
VEON's Beeline Kazakhstan Breaks Ground for Hyper Cloud Data Ce...
08/12/2025
Strategic and transformative transaction would sharpen Harmonic's focus on its core Broadband business and advance its growth initiatives
Ensures continued...
08/12/2025
Copenhagen's The Epicurus is a one-of-a-kind Jazz Gastropub that presents exclusive performances curated by Jazz Pianist and Producer Sir Niels Lan Doky. Fe...